²⁴ Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill until the second year of the reign of Darius^(A) king of Persia.

¹⁵ on the twenty-fourth day of the sixth month.^(A)

The Promised Glory of the New House

In the second year of King Darius,^(B)

⁹ They were all trying to frighten us, thinking, “Their hands will get too weak for the work, and it will not be completed.”

But I prayed, “Now strengthen my hands.”

³ so I sent messengers to them with this reply: “I am carrying on a great project and cannot go down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and go down to you?”

The Decree of Darius

6 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives^(A) stored in the treasury at Babylon.

⁵ But the eye of their God^(A) was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received.

¹⁸ For we wanted to come to you—certainly I, Paul, did, again and again—but Satan^(A) blocked our way.^(B)